The tech world is constantly iterating and shifting, and there are many who have proclaimed to have discovered the next truly big thing. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to be dubious about such claims, especially when the landscape shifts so frequently. Thankfully, headless commerce isn’t exactly the new kid on the block. The technology has been around for quite some time and is now once again occupying the center stage with proven successes.

Companies such as Nike, Amazon, and Etsy, among others, have adopted headless commerce to great effect. For example, headless commerce benefits Amazon by enabling them to seamlessly provide an excellent customer experience regardless of the screen they use. It is a solution that makes great sense for the Internet of Things (IoT) and eCommerce. Here are some headless commerce benefits to convince you of the technology’s viability.

1. Omnichannel Integration

Shoppers have come to expect a smooth shopping experience whether they are interfacing with a computer, phone, Chabot, digital signage, or any other emerging digital medium. According to the Harvard Business Review, 73% of shoppers don’t stick to just one device while shopping. While traditional e-commerce platforms claim to offer an omnichannel experience, they limit its functionality in the same way that they curtail a business’s ability to create cross platforms between an application and a website.

For example, suppose the legacy e-commerce platform does not support a particular sales channel. In that case, any businesses using that platform will be unable to offer it, therefore hindering their ability to compete. They can wait for its implementation, but in the meantime, they will have fewer sales channels and thus fewer conversions than their competitors. As the IoT continues to make its way into our homes, the ability to reach multiple devices without a hitch will be instrumental.

2. A More Robust Customer Experience

A traditional e-commerce store rigidly couples the front and backend in such a way that limits what you can achieve with your front end. What is available is a couple of standard templates that severely limit creativity resulting in cookie-cutter online storefronts. Headless commerce benefits both the user and the business by providing front-end developers free reign to construct a unique site geared towards an optimal customer journey.

The headless approach also gives developers the option to add IoT-enabled tools such as intelligent cross-selling, IoT-based loyalty programs, and proximity marketing into the customer experience. This limitless freedom allows you to add more personalization options that will differentiate you from the competition. A tailor-made experience is excellent for customer retention. Headless commerce will to a greater degree allow you to make and fine-tune custom shopping experiences, personalized recommendations, offers, and much more.

3. Faster Load Speeds

According to a 2015 study by Microsoft, the average attention span of humans has sunk from 12 seconds to 8 seconds, thanks to our increasingly digital lifestyles. This doesn’t bode well for slow sites, which will see their bounce rates bounce even higher as more agile competitors move to headless commerce. Because the front end is separated from the backend, there is less strain on the back end to deliver front-end services such as email marketing, content management, and payment integration. The result is faster speeds, less bounce rates, and more conversion rates.

4. Smooth Updates

Another benefit of separate modules is that you can update your front end without affecting your backend. This makes it possible to roll out updates quickly so that you aren’t left lagging behind. Amazon leverages headless commerce to deploy updates at an average of every 11.7 seconds. Etsy does so 50 times a day. Trying to build an omnichannel experience with a traditional e-commerce platform will be slow and arduous.

How do you compare to the mentioned update speeds, and do you have the first-mover advantage? How about testing? If you have two versions of a product page that you want to test on your customers, headless commerce allows you to do so without changing the underlying codebase. The technology will enable you to roll out tweaks and upgrades and still maintain fast site speeds because you can run tests on one part of the platform without affecting the rest. This means you can scale your business seamlessly with time and industry changes.

Conclusion

The number of people shopping online is only going to increase. In 2021, Statista reported that 2.14 billion people shop online, up from 2.05 billion the previous year. And not only are there more online shoppers, but they are also accessing content from more devices and screens than ever before. Given the large number of online customers, there will naturally be fierce competition for them. Without a robust commerce platform, it will be hard to keep up with the changes. Headless commerce is truly the way of the future.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Headless Commerce is The Next Truly Big Thing: Check its Benefits appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Modern business is actively developing, scaling, and transforming. Unlike business, the banking system is also unable to respond flexibly to market changes due to its unwieldiness and obsolescence. Its traditional business expense management solutions are not applicable in today’s realities. Relatively new products are already appearing. But these new products fail to provide companies with turnkey solutions. 

The main problem with the new products is that they are not business-oriented. These are closed ecosystems. It has a limited number of virtual cards and no expense management capabilities. Wallester offers a fundamentally new solution for business expense management. It is an innovative open ecosystem with a wide range of features and capabilities. To learn more about its features, visit https://business.wallester.com/. 

Features of Wallester Business 

The new solution from Wallester is fundamentally different from others with the following features: 

• it can generate a payroll or keep track of expenses for your team; 

• information about all the costs of the company is in one database; 
• the solution is easy to integrate into the company’s existing system; 
• it is possible to manage the finances of your business easily and competently; 
• It is possible to issue an unlimited number of not only virtual but also physical cards. 

It will take you no more than 24 hours from filing an application to onboard and start using platformusing platformthe solution. You need to make only 3 simple steps: 

1. Enter your company information into the application. 

1. Attach scanned copies of your registration documents. 

1. Go through the identity verification procedure. 

After that, you get the mobile and web versions of Wallester Business, as well as a REST API for integrating the application into the system already existing in the company. 

Wallester Business functionality 

On Wallester Business web platform  portal, you can use the following functions: 

• issue limitless number and virtual cards and order physical cards for your needs 
• manage cards; 
• collect and manage receipts; 
• vView card and cardholder information; 
• control and record expenses; 

• use a “smart” sorting system; 
• track transaction status and descriptions for your team members; 
• control the validity period of cards and their status; 
• upload statements in various formats (.pdf, .xls, .csv); 
• use accounting tools to manage expenses. 

Wallester Business also has a mobile application for Android and iOS devices. Mobile Wallets allow you to view the history and details of transactions, order a new card and view the data of existing cards. Through the mobile application as well as in the web version, you can manage expenses and edit the limits of each card. 

Benefits of Wallester Business 

The main advantage of the Wallester solution is that the company can issue virtual Visa Platinum cards to all of its employees. These are premium cards. Their holders receive additional offers and discounts from merchants, as well as a higher level of service in hotels and other establishments around the world. 

The Wallester platform uses REST API for integration with client software or any accounting platform they are using., FaceBook, XERO, TikTok, and other applications. Wallester is a turnkey solution for all types of businesses already working throughout the European Economic Area. The application is used by more than 60 30 companies in 12 countries, with more than 160,000 50,000 active Visa Business cards. To become a partner of Wallester, all you have to do is submit an application.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Wallester Business  appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

1) They can save you time and money.

If you have a good IT support company on your side, they can help you save time and money. They can do this by helping you avoid potential problems, and by fixing any issues that do arise quickly and efficiently. This means that you won’t have to waste time or money dealing with problems yourself, or trying to find someone who can help you.

For example, let’s say that your computer crashes and you need to get it fixed quickly. If you try to fix it yourself, it could take you hours or even days to figure out what the problem is and how to fix it. 

But if you have a good IT support company on your side, they can usually fix the problem within minutes. As the professionals from IT support at MacTribe say, an IT company should keep things running smoothly so you have more time to focus on your business. This can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

2) They can help improve your business.

A good IT support company can do more than just fix problems; they can also help improve your business. For example, they can help you implement new technologies that can make your business more efficient and productive. They can also help you troubleshoot problems so that they don’t happen again in the future.

For example, let’s say that you want to implement a new CRM system. A good IT support company can help you choose the right system, install it, and train your staff on how to use it. They can also help you troubleshoot any problems that come up so that you can get the most out of your new system.

And, of course, a good IT support company will be there to help you if you ever have any questions or need any assistance. This can go a long way toward improving your business and making it more successful.

3) They can give you peace of mind.

Hiring a good IT support company can give you peace of mind. When you have someone on your side who knows what they’re doing, you can rest assured that your business is in good hands. This can take a lot of stress off of your shoulders and allow you to focus on other things.

For example, let’s say that you’re worried about a potential security breach. If you have a good IT support company on your side, they can help you implement the right security measures to protect your business. This can give you peace of mind and allow you to focus on other things.

4) They can make your life easier.

Let’s face it, technology can be frustrating. It’s always changing, and there’s always something new to learn. If you’re not a tech-savvy person, trying to keep up with the latest trends and technologies can be overwhelming.

An IT support company can take all of that stress away. They can manage your technology for you, so you can focus on running your business.

Additionally, a good IT support company will keep you up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies. They can even provide training for you and your staff so that you can stay up-to-date and be as productive as possible.

5) They can help you grow your business.

A good IT support company can help you grow your business. They can do this by helping you implement new technologies, providing training and support, and by helping you troubleshoot problems.

For example, let’s say that you want to expand your business into a new market. A good IT support company can help you research the best way to do this, and they can even help you implement the changes. They can also provide training for your staff so that they’re prepared for the new market.

As you can see, there are many benefits to hiring a good IT support company. If you’re not sure if it’s worth the investment, just remember that a good IT company can save you time, money, and hassle in the long run. Not to mention, they can also improve your business and help you grow. The bottom line is that a good IT support company is an invaluable asset to any business. Hiring an IT support company is definitely worth the investment.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post The Main Benefits Of Hiring A Good IT Support Company appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The advanced internet technologies have made it possible for us to reach every corner of the globe without leaving our homes.

This increased accessibility also means that there is a significant rise in the need for market research data and collection.

At some point of the day, you are more likely to be asked to fill a form, whether it is signing up for a new course, renewing a subscription, or attending an event.

In this article, we will take a look at why online forms are an important tool for your business.

Top 5 Benefits of using online forms

An online form can be used for multiple purposes. They have almost become a part of our everyday life.

The most prominent advantage is that they provide a secure way of collecting the data you need in an automated and consistent manner.

Without any further ado let’s look at the top five benefits of using online forms for your business.

1.    Simple to build and convenient to use

Online forms are really easy to create.

Nowadays you do not even need to create one from scratch. There are many online templates available on the web and you can download one and start using it.

If you need to collect survey responses from the participants, you can create your own questionnaire using one of the available templates and then share it online. When you give clickable email links, the form automatically opens in your default email program.

As a business owner, an online form will benefit you by increasing your subscriber base and also serve as a forum for customers who are specifically interested in your products.

A well-organized web form enhances the trust factor between your business and your customers. It makes the customers believe their data is in safe hands, and it will only be used for business purposes.

The top form building tools provide you with a range of distribution options, which may include an auto-generator code that can be used on your webpages and thereby enable you to send the forms through an email or an SMS.

2. Enhances productivity and saves time

Online forms can save you a lot of time tbu automating and customizing the data collection process.

Before organizing a meeting, you can create a custom form and ask participants about their concerns, roadblocks, the time needed to finish the project, resources required, and so on. You can analyze all the data and send a review to your participants as well as make a final plan for your meeting.

Another important characteristic of online form is integrations.

You can streamline your workflows by integrating it with several third-party platforms, such as PayPal, Stripe, Google sheet, CRM tools, MailChimp, and many more.

Working with agencies or partners need duly signed documents for making a solid contract proof.

Making an online contract is feasible by integrating e-signature integrations like DocuSign, Adobe Sign, and other tools. Upload the e-signature document and confirm the deal with online contractors. When you integrate your online form with a CRM tool, all the stored customer data will automatically be transferred to the CRM tool.

Similarly, if integrated with a payment processor, a custom web form will also be able to collect online payments.

You can offer instant follow-up email to subscribers when integrated with email marketing automation platforms, such as Mailchimp. Ultimately, web forms save time from doing a lot of manual processes and enhance the overall productivity of your business.

3. Data implementation and customer growth

This is another great part of using online forms. They allow you to capture the relevant data in a very consistent and secure way.

Once the data is captured it is securely stored to be accessed by a selected set of users. This also provides great solace to customers that their data is secure and will not be mishandled like paper forms, which are highly likely to get lost or misplaced.

The relevance of data captured in the forms also plays a major factor. According to IBM, bad data costs the US economy $3.1 trillion annually.

Several companies are reaping the benefits of data by making product development and marketing decisions. You can also create a GDPR compliant web form to seek consent from the customers.

Sound data reduces the risk factor and enhances the consistent growth of your business.

Web forms also lead you to reach the target audience and save time relying on broad data. You can make customized marketing campaigns for your target audience.

For example, let’s say you own a sunglass business and you don’t know which style and brand will increase your sales growth. When the customers fill up the form on your brand website, it leads you to the exact brand, age range, and gender interested in the particular brand. You can target those customers when you have a new style available. It will improve customer relationships and enhance customer trust.

Electronic forms will help easier implementation of data as you don’t need to analyze the broad data all by yourself. It will also improve the organization’s efficiency by keeping all the departments on the same page.

Web forms offer you a competitive advantage because you can implement your marketing strategies earlier than your competitors. You can enhance your sales by sending messages to potential customers.

4. Nurtures lead generation

Your website is the first touchpoint of lead generation.

Web forms are the easiest way to generate leads. Embed your website with the available web forms like WP form, Type form, Jot form, and other available online forms.

Make your website visually attractive, informative, engaging, and easy to navigate before embedding web forms into your website. Award your customers by sending free PDF resources when they complete the whole web form.

Never make web forms lengthy and cluttered. If it is difficult to locate a field or takes a long time to fill the form, your customers may leave the form without completing it.

You might also consider hiring a User Experience (UX) designer and a copywriter to provide a frictionless experience for your visitors.

You can track the web forms by specifying goals and events in your Google Analytics account. Further, you’ll get a clear picture of your potential customers by analyzing submission statistics.

Filling a web form is almost like making a financial transaction. Make sure to follow up with an assurance or confirmation message, ‘Someone from our team will contact you within 24 hours.’

Leads are 100 times more effective when you follow up quickly after they have submitted the form.

 5. Increases conversion rates

A fully responsive web form can increase the conversion rates of your business.

Always make a clear call-to-action that can be adapted to mobile, desktop, and tablet.

Looks do matter. Visitors may not choose to return to your site quickly if they do have a great user experience. Whenever you create web forms, make sure to choose editing fonts, colors, and templates. So that you can make changes if you don’t receive good results.

Making a lean web form can make your website a high-traffic generating site.

Creating a lengthy procedure will hamper your process of obtaining the basic contact details of your targeted customers. The web form is not the place to seal the deal, but it engages customers and enhances conversion rates.

Later, you can request an online video meeting or make a call for a personal visit.

Keeping your form short and crisp will convert more customers.

It is believed that a form with not more than five fields gives the highest conversion rates. You can keep your essential fields on top and make other fields optional. It will save your visitors’ time, and you can get plenty of responses.

Site visitors have searched your site and propelled themselves to fill your web forms. You haven’t sent any invites. It should be something exciting where customers can acknowledge a clear value proposition. You can integrate an autoresponder setting to your web form to deliver a message if somebody has completed the online form.

Ensure you adhere to all the security complaints and privacy policies so that customers feel safe to provide their personal data. Especially when you ask for credit or debit card information for the payment process.

Make sure your privacy statement should be authentic and doesn’t look like a marketing gimmick.

Conclusion

We hope the above benefits will lead your thoughts to create a web form for your website. Make sure to create a decluttered and simple web form because prospective customers like easy web forms to fill the forms efficiently.

Today, web forms are the biggest anchorage for enhanced lead generation and consistent customer growth for businesses.

What are your thoughts on web forms, or what changes have you observed in your business by integrating web forms into your website?

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 5 Essential Benefits Of Using Forms For Your Business appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

In today’s environment, the Internet is emulating everything from the offline market to the online market. Naturally, as demand increases, several business models may be employed to provide service while maintaining profitability. What types? Well, a marketplace B2B for starters. E-commerce has it all these days, whether you’re searching for products, services, rentals, or meal delivery.

B2B (business-to-to-business) sales are one such example. Due to the complexity and breadth of B2B enterprises, which are defined by large orders, trade restrictions, and various marketing requirements, supply chains may work more efficiently in offline and online marketplaces thanks to this technology.

Statista estimates its worth at about $7.6 trillion. B2B companies have diverse income patterns, but so do their business methods.

What are the benefits of B2B marketplaces?

Small and independent businesses use the overwhelming majority of B2B marketplaces. While big merchants may utilize a B2B marketplace to transfer excess inventory, the primary focus is typically on providing clients through small companies seeking to grow their client bases. Additionally, companies can obtain services from other businesses via B2B marketplaces. Businesses, for example, may utilize on-demand catering software to provide catered lunches and special occasion meals to their employees.

Most B2B marketplaces strive to enhance the customer experience by offering services that are frequently scheduled many weeks in advance and making it easier for clients to reserve such services in advance. Small businesses may adapt their business strategies to cater to an expanding number of online shoppers by creating e-commerce platforms for businesses to sell their services.

Components of a B2B marketplace

A B2B marketplace platform’s most critical component is its marketplace. Clients may evaluate rival enterprises’ offers and choose the one that best meets their requirements as businesses advertise their services alongside their competitors. B2B marketplace platforms usually do the heavy lifting of establishing businesses and distributing their items through the platform. Businesses are typically notified through email or calendar when a service is booked or sold.

Meetings can be scheduled by clients and organizations using many B2B marketplace platforms. Many customers do their transactions directly through the marketplace. The platform’s calendar or a third-party calendar such as Google Calendar, iCal, or another online appointment scheduling tool can be used by sellers. Purchasers can book services only if they are currently accessible via calendar integration, eliminating multiple bookings and other issues.

They must first create a profile on one of the different B2B marketplaces before they can begin acquiring goods or services. At first, it may only be an email address, but further information may be added over time. Additionally, a vendor may have a better idea of the type of client (such as primary age and gender demographics) purchasing their services based on the information acquired. Businesses may use this data to more precisely target their offerings in that market and attract customers who share similar wants. Businesses, in general, can profit from this data since it enables them to make more informed marketing decisions and personalize their products and services. Due to the widespread usage of B2B marketplace platforms by small enterprises, this information may be critical and challenging to collect without investing significantly in marketing analytics.

Numerous B2B marketplace systems have a vendor component that enables vendors to create commodities, monitor the effectiveness of their live services, and easily modify publicly visible information. In these places, merchant dashboards are prevalent, allowing retailers to analyze their online performance. Statistics such as the number of services sold, money earned, and even basic consumer information may be supplied. Retailers may utilize this data to improve consumer targeting and make product modifications to promote sales.

Although this is not always possible, B2B marketplace platforms that supply a single service may sell it as a subscription. Businesses can pay a predefined amount to obtain a specific number of discounted rides per month for their workers after obtaining a ride-sharing platform membership for them. Subscription customers may be eligible for one complimentary delivery per month or after a specific number of deliveries. Subscriptions are primarily used to ensure repeat business and to recognize loyal customers.

In today’s economy, digital B2B marketing is a critical component of any marketing strategy. Marketers may utilize B2B platform marketplaces to connect with new clients, learn more about their existing customer base, and integrate their presence with their current digital marketing operations. B2B marketplace systems sometimes have social network integration or unique links integrated into websites. Additionally, B2B marketplace systems capture user data to supply service providers with marketing data such as demographics and purchase tendencies. Businesses may use this data to better target specific demographics with their services or to identify areas where their approach needs to be altered to appeal to a broader audience.

What are hybrid markets?

Hybrid markets include business-to-business and business-to-consumer networks. Additionally, it encompasses B2B and B2C characteristics and products and services.

Urban Clap is a marketplace for consumer-to-consumer services, whereas FreeLancer is a platform for B2B services.

These marketplaces, like Amazon and Alibaba, cater to both business-to-business and consumer-to-business clients.

On the other hand, eBay is a unique synthesis of B2B, B2C, and C2C product-based business models.

A hybrid marketplace supports many business models, including B2B, B2C, and C2C.

Free-to-use marketplaces

The best business model for emerging B2B markets is freemium. After giving anything up for free, you can upgrade to a more advanced alternative. Businesses of all sizes and sorts have benefited from this cash source.

This strategy’s principal objective is to provide free access to everyone while charging for access to selected firms that offer value-added services. Amazon’s B2C strategy is an excellent example.

Amazon is a marketplace in which everyone may purchase the same items. Prime members enjoy a range of services for a monthly charge, including speedier delivery, Prime Video, and Amazon Music.

In truth, this vehicle is a conglomeration of several others. Additionally, value-added services such as:

• They always shop in the same way.
• Subscribers purchase using deception.
• Commissions on a recurrent basis for repeat sellers
• Commissions are reduced for prime sellers.
• Regular vendors are granted organic listings.
• Vendors that qualify as “premier” receive prominent placement in addition to a slew of additional privileges.

It’s all about luring major partners with freebies while simultaneously persuading them to pay additional fees for other privileges. Etsy is an excellent example of supporting merchants by balancing free listing with paid features such as direct checkout, advertisement marketing, and shipping labels.

Final thought

As a result, B2B markets enable marketplace operators to experiment with a broader range of revenue streams. It is best to have a range of business models than rely just on one to compete.

Invariably, if you want to compete with Alibaba and Amazon, you must have an income stream akin to Amazon Prime or Alibaba’s featured listings. To establish a reputable firm, you’ll require a varied set of top B2B prospects.

The B2B marketplace script that you choose should support all of the streams stated above. You do not want to miss out on any revenue-generating opportunities.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Types of B2B marketplaces appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

These lines ring true for company’s for which volunteering is an afterthought.

Why?

With COVID-19 requiring companies to bring a paradigm shift in their work culture, it comes as no surprise that more and more companies are investing in volunteer programs to boost employee morale and engagement.

The need of the hour is investing in people and purposes right now. In 2008-2009 when the stock market crashed and billions were lost, companies that focussed on employee engagement managed to outperform their peers and come back strong again.

Company volunteer programs bring a sense of compassion to your company and benefit your employees in several ways.

In this article, we will discuss why companies cannot overlook volunteering programs.

Let’s start!

8 Reasons Why You Should Encourage Your Employees to Volunteer

Some intriguing reasons to encourage your employees to volunteer are as follows:

Fosters team building

Many companies leverage these volunteer programs as a team-building exercise. It allows your employees to work and communicate cohesively as a team while positively impacting society.

Additionally, it helps in building camaraderie among employees, which ultimately results in team building.

Furthermore, volunteering activities connect people who share the same passion. When like-minded people achieve a charitable goal, it improves teamwork and enhances communication between team members.

Working together for a great cause can bring your employees together, make them interact, negotiate with each other, come to logical decisions and get to know each other while cultivating and nurturing their relationships with new people.

Helps in connecting with new people

When your employees lend a helping hand, they can make a real difference in the lives of people, animals, and organizations who need help to survive. As volunteering is a two-way street, it can positively impact your employee’s overall development. By encouraging your employees to volunteer, you help them make new friends, expand their network and boost their social skills – all necessary for a fulfilling and enriching career.

• Make new friends: Volunteer programs are a great way to build and strengthen relationships with new and existing people. Apart from strengthening ties with your community, it helps your employees broaden their support network, exposing them to people with similar interests, fun activities, and neighborhood resources.
• Enhances skill set: Volunteering is an excellent activity for shy people who have difficulty communicating with others. When such employees agree to a volunteer program, they develop their social and relationship skills. Also, people who participate in volunteering activities can develop and build on their leadership skills. Once your employees have such a platform and momentum, it’s easier to branch out, learn new skills and hone the existing skill set.

Ensures mental and physical well-being

Volunteering is a selfless act and can prove beneficial for the body and mental health in the following ways:

• Lowers blood pressure: According to research by Carnegie Mellon University, volunteering can lower down blood pressure.
• Wards of depression and loneliness: The feeling that your employees are not lonely and working towards a better cause can help fight depression and loneliness. Social activities make people more socially connected that wards away the feeling of being lonely.
• Increases happiness: According to a study, people who volunteered were more satisfied, happy and rated their overall health better than those who didn’t volunteer. The rule here is simple: the more you give, the happier you will feel.
• Boost self-confidence: When your employees perform activities to benefit society, it provides them with a sense of accomplishment. This improves employee’s self-confidence, which gets reflected in their job-related tasks.
• Ensures physical fitness: Walking around a shelter home or distributing food to the needy requires employees to do more than sitting on a couch or at a desk. This ensures the physical fitness of your employees. Furthermore, volunteering at any activity that requires physical energy may be more fulfilling than taking a walk alone in a garden.
• Lowers risk of early death: As volunteering gives a sense of pride, it can reduce stress levels to a great extent. According to a study, volunteering can lower the risk of early death by 24%. So, start encouraging your employees to volunteer from the minute they join your organization.

Volunteering will give your employees the tool they require to be a healthier, happier, and mentally strong workforce.

Develops employee character trail

Humble, helpful, gracious, compassionate, and empathetic are a few qualities of employees who volunteer. In your organization, when you encourage employees to participate in volunteering programs, you foster these characteristics in them. It helps in building a character trail of employees working in your organization.

Slowly, such characteristics can become a part of your organization’s culture, thereby giving employees a work environment where they can do more than complete their job-specific tasks. This helps in improving their productivity.

Such programs are a must in large corporations where job title or employee number helps in recognizing an employee. And, volunteer programs can make your employees feel wanted.

Brings fun and fulfillment

Success in the workplace and career depends on how well your employees can balance their work-life. Bringing a volunteering experience and encouraging employees to participate in it brings more fun and fulfillment in life.

When your employees dig themselves in activities that bring joy, purpose, and pleasure, they automatically feel motivated and encouraged to excel at everything they pick. This renewed motivation and vision can help employees bring a much-needed change in their professional and personal lives.

Furthermore, when employees are constantly glued to their computer screen, encouraging participation in such philanthropic activities can help them make time for hobbies outside of their work. For example, you could ask employees with desk jobs to help plant a community garden or encourage their participation in a senior citizen shelter home. It would give your employees a break they have been longing for.

Increases employee engagement

Volunteer programs offer much more than employee engagement; it results in work passion.

Encouraging your employees to dig into their passion during working hours can convert their passion into an engagement. Such employees are more engaged in their work because you help them explore their passion and encourage them to work towards it.

By doing so, you promote a purpose-filled work environment that encourages employee’s engagement and loyalty.

Also, such employees are more likely to become brand ambassadors eager to share their experiences and openly speak about their positive experiences with your organization.

According to research conducted by the University of Georgia, employees who volunteered gave more time and effort to their job and spoke positively about their company than others who didn’t volunteer for any program.

Redefines company’s image

The image or reputation of your organization is something that gets you new clients and helps in retaining the existing ones. Today, customers or clients prefer doing business with companies actively involved in different philanthropic activities.

For any organization, brand image is everything. Therefore, when you decide to give back to society, it improves your company’s image.

You come across as a brand whose sole purpose is not to generate profits but to consider others and go the extra mile to bring a positive change in society.

Even your competitors will see you as a brand that offers both time and resources to help those in need. Furthermore, employees prefer working in an organization that believes in performing compassionate acts. It increases employee morale, decreases employee retention, and redefines your company’s brand image.

Works like an employee benefit

Apart from bringing a change in society, a volunteering program can provide your employees with extra leaves. With one in four companies offering volunteering time off (VTO), it’s a great way to provide an extra employee benefit. Interestingly, according to a study, employers offer one to five paid VTO per year to employees who participate.

Clubbing benefits or perks with volunteering programs is a great way to enhance employee engagement and increase retention in your workplace.

Cultivating a sense of purpose

Encouraging and motivating employees to join your corporate volunteer programs is easier than you think.

Today, employees want to know that the organization they patronize and work for can stand for a cause other than generating profits. When you provide an environment and culture where you give preference to volunteer programs, your employees are likely to stay more productive and stay longer with your organization.

It’s probably the right time to pull your socks and invest in a volunteer program because it’s beneficial for society, your company, and, more importantly, your employees.

It would benefit your business to start and implement a volunteering program to make an impact on your bottom line and attract a workforce that shares the same value as your company.

Encouraging participation in such activities could be a motivator your employees have always been looking to enhance their workplace performance.

Are you ready to kickstart your company’s volunteer program? How are you planning to create your volunteer program?

Do share your thoughts with us!

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 8 Reasons Why You Should Encourage Your Employees to Volunteer appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

According to a research study by Metlife, “51% of employers say that using benefits to retain employees will become even more important in the next three to five years.”

Employee benefits are either monetary or non-monetary rewards that are paid to employees. These employee benefits are over and above the regular salary of an employee. Often also known as the fringe benefits, most of the businesses rely on several employee benefit schemes to attract new employees and retain the existing ones. Several employees also look at the perks and benefits offered by an organization before applying for a job in that company.

Employees seek recognition for their hard work. They want their efforts to be acknowledged and offering them benefits will make them feel appreciated and happier.

Effective ways of using employee benefits for enhancing employee productivity 

Employee benefit schemes can broadly be classified into four types. Most of these benefits can fall under the umbrella of these four benefit schemes. 

• Benefits at work
• Benefits for financial security
• Health benefits
• Lifestyle benefits

There are several ways in which you can boost employee productivity in your business. Here are six effective ways to go about it:

1.  Set priorities for work-life balance

This benefit will take priority as a work benefit. Numerous employees suffer from work-related stress and anxiety. As a result, several productive days are lost. More than 20% of employees at any given time are not happy with their work-life balance in a moderate size company unless there are additional employee benefits.

How to counter all the above issues? It’s rather simple. Prioritize work-life balance for your employees. Focus on their well-being and make it a culture for your business. Modify your people management practices to ensure workplace wellness. Create a good work environment that is dedicated to the employees. Ensure that your organization cares for each one of your employees.

2. Create a positive workspace

Set up a break-out area with a coffee machine. Encourage your employees to take regular breaks. This will show that the organization takes its employees seriously and encourages them to take their well-deserved breaks.

You can also encourage your employees to take regular reading breaks. Arrange for a bookshelf and stuff it with a variety of books, be it fiction or nonfiction. Adding developmental and business-related books can also expand the learning opportunities for the employees.

3.  Boost the morale of your employees

Simple benefits can go a long way. For instance, offering work from home was a great way to show you care. However, in this pandemic situation, working from home has become a new norm and is not considered a benefit anymore. But you can offer the flexibility to work whenever they want, as long as they put in the requisite work hours. Several organizations follow this simple rule. This allows employees to set their priorities and work at their convenience.

You should make it a point to meet up with your team, once in a while, and talk to them about their needs and demands. When you give them a patient ear, you will find that they are willing to take their responsibilities more seriously.

4. Recognize and appreciate even the smallest achievement

Who wouldn’t want to be appreciated for their hard work? Any form of appreciation can motivate an employee to do even better every day. Often, saying a simple “thank you” can do the trick. But as benefits, rewarding and recognizing the employees can be one of the best ways to retain them and make them happier.

There are so many ways in which you can reward your employees that involve no cash payouts.

• Allow your employees a “Thank You” leave once a year
• Offer your employees educational or vocational training sessions to enhance their skill sets
• Offer them paid vacations, paid parental vacations, etc.
• Arrange for office board games and allow your employees to take their time out for a match.

5. Offer benefits other than the typical ones

Most organizations offer health benefits and insurance plans for their employees. Apart from the usual ones, you should offer benefits that are not the typical ones. This will not only lower the rate of attrition in your company but also attract new employees in the long run. A few examples of these types of benefits include: 

1. Tuition fees reimbursement: There are several organizations that offer tuition reimbursements for their employees. This helps in encouraging your employees to take up courses that can upgrade their skillset. Once they complete the course, they can get the tuition fee reimbursed.
2. Corporate discount vouchers: When you have tie-ups with various companies, you can offer corporate discounts and vouchers for those companies for your employees. Such corporate vouchers can offer the best deals and offer that are handpicked for the employees and the prices can exclusively focus on them.
3. Meal and multi-benefit vouchers: You can offer a meal voucher for your employees which they can use for a subsidized rate at different restaurants and cafeterias. You can also issue a multi-benefit pass for your employees with which they can buy fuel and other regular household items for their daily requirements.
4. Stock options: You can also offer your employees to buy some company shares at an agreed-upon price which is of course much lower than the market rate. This is also a great way to help your employees feel a belonging to the company. With company shares in their name, they will also have ownership over something that they are working for.
5. Childcare facilities: When you offer childcare facilities to your employees, they feel grateful. It’s a great benefit for the employees as it offers a work-life balance. You can offer crèche for the children of the employees within the office premises, and encourage your employees to spend some time with their children during office hours.
6. Wellness programs: Encourage your employees to follow a healthy lifestyle. Offer them healthy meal vouchers, a gym membership, periodic health screening opportunities, etc.
7. Transport: It’s a great idea to offer transport for your employees from their homes to the office regularly. They can avail the company provided buses and cabs to reach office instead of availing the crowded public transport. Many organizations offer home pick-up and drop for their employees. You too can take this initiative for your employees.
8. Profit-sharing percentage: It is also a great employee benefits scheme that you can opt for your employees. Offer them a share of the profits made by the company. This will also encourage your employees to work harder for the profits of your business. It is also a great way to keep your employees committed to the collective business goals.

6. Help in employee growth by creating a career path

Support your employees in paving a career pathway for their future. Help them in building their skills and knowledge that can improve their career. This will not only prove that you value your employees but also give your employees a boost in their spirits. Here are a few ways in which you can do this: 

1. Take interest in their personal development goals: Communicate with your employees and stay attuned to their aspirations and expectations from the company. Help them in designing a framework for their career. Identify and recognize specific milestones for their achievements and you will have employees that are motivated, productive and happier.
2. Offer your employees on-the-job and virtual training: Any form of continuous learning can fuel the career growth of your employees. Encourage career coaching and mentoring. It is a two-way street as the employees can gain insights from seniors and also share their fresh perspectives with them.
3. Encourage job rotation: People look for variety in their daily lives. Working on the same task day-in and day-out can make them feel unproductive and stagnant. Offer job rotations to your employees and they will gain new skills and also have a better understanding of the business process. It will also make them more productive and appreciate your interest in their career path.
4. Help your employees to see the bigger picture: Make them feel a part of the big business by giving them a look at the bigger picture. Remind them how they contribute to the growth of the business and help them in expanding their job roles in the organization. That way, your employees will achieve career growth and the company will benefit too.

Conclusion

Paying employees a monthly salary is not enough if you want to enhance productivity. Most employees believe that they will have improved productivity if they received regular employee benefits and office perks. Employee benefits can make your employees feel valued in the organization. And it’s imperative to say that when an employee feels appreciated, valued and recognized, they put in extra effort towards enhancing their productivity as a team.

Also, as an employer, remember, happiness can be infectious. When you focus on creating a positive work environment and work culture, it can maximize happiness amongst the employees. When happiness spreads, it can affect the energy and productivity of the entire team and its members. It not only takes care of employee engagement but also enhances loyalty.

Author bio

Atreyee Chowdhury works full-time as a Learning Experience Designer and is passionate about writing. She has helped many small and medium-scale businesses achieve their content marketing goals with her carefully crafted content that is both informative and engaging. She lives in Bangalore, India with her husband. She loves to read, experiment with different cuisines, travel, and explore the latest content marketing and L&D trends in her free time. You can reach her on Linkedin or write to her at atreyee.c@gmail.com.  

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 6 Ways An Employee Benefits Scheme Can Make Your Team More Productive appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

If ever we’re feeling stuck in a rut, a bit fed up or in need of some head space, a walk outside will usually help. Getting out and about in the fresh air does wonders for our mental and physical health and research has suggested that a two-hour “dose” of nature a week “significantly boosts health and wellbeing”. It’s considered so important that two hours outside a week could soon join official health advice alongside five portions of fruit and veg a day and 150 minutes of exercise a week. 

The great thing about stepping out into nature is that it takes little planning and is available to everyone. Whether aged five or seventy-five, we all benefit from putting on our shoes, closing the door behind us and heading out in the fresh air.

Nature and the Younger Generations

Okay, so some children will take more persuading than others to get outside. But the benefits are undeniable.

The unstructured nature of hiking national parks, outdoor play and the variation that it offers allows youngsters to choose how they wish to interact with the outdoor environment – in turn building their confidence. It allows for creativity and imagination and activates all their senses, not to mention it gets them moving and their blood pumping.

How we can Get Children Outside

Babies

Life with a newborn is tough and walks outside will benefit both parent and baby – even if it does take hours to leave the house. To make your life easier, invest in a baby carrier – it’ll free your hands for that much needed cup of coffee and won’t restrict you to certain routes like when you’re pushing a pram.

Toddlers

Toddlers love being outdoors – that’s where the puddles are, after all. Make it even more fun by organising a scavenger hunt – they can search for sticks, stones, leaves, even spiders. It’ll give them focus and teach them new things, too. And why no try taking them to a Forest School toddler class, if you’ve got one nearby? Fun and mess guaranteed!

School Children

Fortunately, school curriculums cater to getting children outside – for instance, school trips are invaluable to older children, getting them outdoors, exploring and learning. 

Nature and the Older Generations

Getting outside is just as important as we get older, keeping us active and boosting wellbeing. In fact, one care home put it to the test when they planned a month of outdoor adventures for their residents. They found that many of them, who have varying physical and mental disabilities, became “less agitated as they have spent more time outdoors focusing on wildlife”.

How we can Encourage the Elderly to get Outside

Exercise Classes

There is no end of exercise classes available to the elderly. With everything from dance, to Pilates, Zumba and walking clubs, there’s no excuse to not get outside and get the blood pumping.

Organised Trips

Nobody should feel restricted, whatever their mental and physical ability. There are many special tours to be booked for seniors to get out exploring the country, and care homes will organise trips to get residents out and about. Such trips don’t need to be difficult – with the incredible range of mobility vehicles available these days, nowhere is out of bounds.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post The Many Benefits of Nature: For Everyone from Babies to OAPs appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

New research commissioned by MBH Corporation plc, reveals that 43% of SME owners and senior managers think government support for SMEs during the COVID-19 crisis has been good or excellent.  Four out of ten (40%) describe its support as average and just 17% as poor. MBH is a UK headquartered listed diversified investment holding company that acquires successful, strong-performing small to medium enterprises across multiple geographies and sectors.

Part of the support provided by Government to SMEs has been for new loan schemes. Of the SME owners and senior managers interviewed by MBH Corporation, 38% said that their businesses took out loans offered by the Government.  Only 24% said they found the process for doing this hard, and 11% said they borrowed over £50,000. 4% borrowed over £100,000.

In terms of when they plan to pay this back, 18% said within a year, and a further 18% said between one and two years.  Only 3% said they anticipate it will take them over five years to do this, with 17% said they don’t ever expect to pay it back.  Many businesses plan to repay these loans quickly because they are optimistic about their future.  Indeed, MBH Corporation’s research reveals that 57% of those businesses that expect to make a loss this year anticipate they will be back in profit within 24 months.

In terms of the actions companies plan to take over the next 12 months because of the COVID-19 crisis, 27% expect to make redundancies.  One in four anticipate having a recruitment freeze, while 13% say they will ask staff to take a pay cut.  Some 7% don’t expect to survive and 13% anticipate closing part of their business.  Some 6% anticipate they will have to sell their businesses.

Callum Laing, CEO of MBH Corporation plc: “Whilst there is no sugar coating for the effect the COVID-19 crisis has had on the small business ecosystem, it is pleasing to see how many were able to leverage off the government support and are positive about the way forward.  Optimisim is an inherent trait of most small business owners and we’re seeing some incredible innovation as companies pivot to serve their clients best in these fluid times.

“We know that for many small business owners there have been many sleepless nights and tough conversations had over the past 6 months, but there are also plenty of businesses out there, not just in big tech, that have been able to find an angle and thrive during these fluid times.  Many of the big companies of tomorrow will be ones that are really finding their feet today.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Strong Support From SMEs For UK Government COVID-19 Support Scheme appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.